"We are the only country in history that ever deliberately changed its ethnic makeup, and history has few examples of 'diversity' creating a stable society." - Richard Lamm, former governor of Colorado

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Britain: Twenty eight of the 189 serious foreign offenders wrongly freed from prison without deportation being considered are still at large

Immigration directorate director Lin Homer also said "one further serious offence" had been committed by one of the freed foreigners since December.

All 1013 foreign ex-prisoners had been considered for deportation, with 163 having now been deported, she said.

Officials want to deport a futher 512, while 31 cases were rejected by courts.

In 275 cases officials had decided not to seek deportation, with the remainder still in jail or on remand, Ms Homer said in a statement.

The prisoner deportation row led to Charles Clarke's sacking as home secretary in May last year, with John Reid taking over.

Of the 28 offenders on the run, one is from the "most serious" category - convicted of either murder, manslaughter, rape and child sex offences - and 27 are considered "more serious", convicted of other violent offences and sex attacks.

Officials said a large number of individuals had "frustrated" the deportation process using last-minute legal barriers.

Ms Homer also disclosed £55,000 had been paid, since 1 April 2006, in compensation to nine foreign prisoners held in custody beyond their sentence while awaiting deportation.

She said she hoped any risk of repeating similar mistakes had been minimised.